The Darkness Within

Chapter 25 - Lashing Out

Chapter Twenty Five

The class after Potions was one that Harry was actually quite curious to attend. He had started his education of the Dark Arts at the age of seven, so he was intrigued to see what the flip side was like. In addition, his Defence Against the Dark Arts professor was none other than Severus Snape, his father's Death Eater. Harry found himself smiling at the thought. Snape wouldn't know what to do with him. There was no way Snape would dare ignore him, like the rest of the staff. Eager to see the Death Eater squirm in his presence, Harry entered the classroom, happily leaving James Potter in the corridor outside.

Harry took a seat in the middle row, noting that the Gryffindors shared this class with the Slytherin'sas well. Draco walked in and took a seat in the front row. Not a moment later, the greasy-hairedProfessor arrived, robes billowing behind him dramatically.

Snape came to rest behind his desk, surveying his sixth-year students with intense eyes. His attention was brought to Harry instantly and Snape found himself tensing up in silent frustration. If being a spy wasn't hard enough, he was going to be tested to his limit with the Dark Prince in his company. He could still feel the Dark Lord's encouragement to keep the Dark Prince out of trouble and as comfortable as possible, ache up and down his limbs. He cursed silently at everyone who got him into this spying mess, predominantly, Dumbledore.

With a flick of his wand, Snape put up instructions on the board for the correct wand movement when casting a Befuddling jinx. He began his lesson, just as he did always, without a greeting or explanation of what was planned for that day.

Harry watched in shocked disbelief as Snape began teaching the Befuddlement jinx. Sixth-year students at Hogwarts were learning the Befuddlement jinx at NEWT level. Harry scoffed silently. He had learnt this particular jinx at the age of twelve. He watched as the rest of the students frantically copied the notes from the board and listened with panicked concentration to every word coming out from Snape's mouth.

Harry leaned back, making no effort to write anything down. He crossed both arms across his chest and waited, eyes fixed on Snape. He had always enjoyed annoying his father's Death Eaters. It was one of his favourite pastimes. Snape continued the lesson, ignoring Harry's defiant disregard to take down notes. He forced himself not to look in Harry's direction and continued the lecture, explaining the correct pronunciation of the spell and precise wand movement.

"Does anyone have any questions?" he forced out the words with a clear warning tone, that no one was to dare ask any questions.

No one ever did.

That was what the Duelling club was for. Professor June was an extremely pleasant Professor who ran the duelling club for students from the third year to the seventh year. Whatever the class learned in theory with Snape was usually practised in the club with Professor June, so if there were any questions the students preferred to ask Professor June.

But today, for the first time in Snape's class, a student spoke up.

"I have a question," Harry said, without raising a hand in the air. "Why are you teaching a pointless jinx when there are so many other spells worth learning?"

The silence that followed Harry's question could have been a first for Hogwarts. The Slytherins and Gryffindors were sitting with their mouths open in shock. Not only did the new kid ask a question, he actually ridiculed Snape's teaching. Draco looked around at Harry with a smirk.

The rest of the Slytherins mouthed to the Gryffindors, 'He's so dead!'A fine pink tinge started in Snape's pale cheeks and spread down his neck. His inner battle of controlling his temper was weakening at an alarming rate. He walked slowly over to Harry, taking in the boy's uncanny resemblance to the one person he despised the most, James Potter. That didn't help his annoyance by much either.